Gene variants found that increase pain sensation after common childhood surgery

The first genome-wide analysis of postsurgical pain in children has identified gene variants that affect a child's need for pain-control drugs. The findings may advance the process of calibrating pain-medication doses to a child's genetic makeup. "Although this research is only a first step for our team, it provides tremendous new insight into the biological mechanisms and brings us a little closer to personalizing medicine for pain control," said a co-author.View full story